Italian Bistro (The), Liverpool

Situated next to the Philharmonic Dining Rooms, this authentic establishment offers welcome respite from a hard day's shopping. The difference between a bistro and a more formal restaurant is that they tend to be more of a relaxed gathering place for friends and this is no exception. Rustic yet sophisticated, the bistro provides an atmosphere straight out of mama's kitchen, complete with scrubbed wooden tables low lighting and attentive service. There's not a pizza to be seen on the menu, just vino della casa on one side and penne, polli, pesce and pasta listed on the other. There is a reasonable selection of wine with a house red starting from around £9.